Chrysanthemum plant named &#39;Fichryswiros&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Chrysanthemum  plant named ‘Fichryswiros’, characterized by its relatively compact, upright to outwardly spreading and uniformly mounded plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; dense and full plant form; uniform and freely flowering habit; medium semi-decorative type inflorescences with dark red purple-colored ray florets; early flowering habit, response time about 37 days under controlled photoperiodic treatments; and good postproduction longevity.

Botanical designation: Chrysanthemum×morifolium.

Cultivar denomination: ‘FICHRYSWIROS’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct Chrysanthemum plant,botanically known as Chrysanthemum×morifolium, commercially grown as apotted Chrysanthemum plant and hereinafter referred to by the name‘Fichryswiros’.

The new Chrysanthemum plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Fareham, Hampshire, United Kingdom and DeLier, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is tocreate new potted Chrysanthemum plants with numerous attractiveinflorescences.

The new Chrysanthemum plant is a naturally-occurring whole plantmutation of Chrysanthemum×morifolium ‘Swifty Purple’, not patented. Thenew Chrysanthemum plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as asingle flowering plant from within a population of plants of ‘SwiftyPurple’ in a controlled greenhouse environment in De Lier, TheNetherlands in January, 2015.

Asexual reproduction of the new Chrysanthemum plant by terminalvegetative cuttings was first conducted in De Lier, The Netherlands inFebruary, 2015. Asexual reproduction by terminal vegetative cuttings hasshown that the unique features of this new Chrysanthemum plant arestable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have not been observed under allpossible combinations of environmental conditions and culturalpractices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations inenvironmental conditions such as temperature, daylength and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Fichryswiros’. These characteristicsin combination distinguish ‘Fichryswiros’ as a new and distinctChrysanthemum plant:

-   -   1. Relatively compact, upright to outwardly spreading and        uniformly mounded plant habit.    -   2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Freely branching habit; dense and full plant form.    -   4. Uniform and freely flowering habit.    -   5. Medium semi-decorative type inflorescences with dark red        purple-colored ray florets.    -   6. Early flowering habit, response time about 37 days under        controlled photoperiodic treatments.    -   7. Good postproduction longevity.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of themutation parent, ‘Swifty Purple’. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum differprimarily from plants of ‘Swifty Purple’ in ray floret color as plantsof ‘Swifty Purple’ have inflorescences with purple-colored ray florets.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants ofChrysanthemum×morifolium ‘Breeze Cardinal’, not patented. Inside-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Chrysanthemum differprimarily from plants of ‘Breeze Cardinal’ in the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum are more compact than plants        of ‘Breeze Cardinal’.    -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum flower about nine days        earlier than plants of ‘Breeze Cardinal’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph illustrates the overall appearance of thenew Chrysanthemum plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Chrysanthemum plant. The photograph is a side perspective viewof a typical flowering plant of ‘Fichryswiros’ grown in a 14-cmcontainer.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations andmeasurements describe plants grown during the summer in 14-cm containersin a glass-covered greenhouse in Fareham, Hampshire, United Kingdom andunder cultural practices typical of commercial garden Chrysanthemumproduction. During the production of the plants, day and nighttemperatures ranged from 17° C. to 21° C. and light levels averaged6,000 lux. Plants were grown under long day/short night conditions forabout two weeks and then grown under short day/long night conditions toinduce inflorescence initiation and development. Plants were eight weeksold when the photograph and detailed description were taken. In thefollowing description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, Fifth Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Chrysanthemum×morifolium ‘Fichryswiros’.-   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of    Chrysanthemum×morifolium ‘Swifty Purple’, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About ten days at            temperatures about 21° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About twelve days at            temperatures about 21° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three            weeks at temperatures about 21° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four            weeks at temperatures about 21° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; typically light brown in            color, actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate            composition, water quality, fertilizer type and formulation,            substrate temperature and physiological age of roots.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous semi-decorative type            potted Chrysanthemum; relatively compact; stems upright to            outwardly spreading giving a uniformly mounded appearance to            the plant; numerous lateral branches and relatively short            internodes, dense and full plant form; moderately vigorous            growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 10 cm.        -   Plant width.—About 23 cm.        -   Branching habit.—Freely branching habit; about five primary            lateral branches develop after removal of terminal apex            (pinching).        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 7 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.            Internode length: About 5 mm. Strength: Strong. Aspect:            About 60° from vertical and then bending upwardly. Texture:            Fine pubescence. Color: Close to 147B.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple.        -   Length.—About 3 cm.        -   Width.—About 2 cm.        -   Shape.—Palmately-lobed; roughly ovate with three to five            lobes.        -   Apex.—Broadly acuminate.        -   Base.—Attenuate.        -   Margin.—Slightly dentate and palmately lobed; sinuses            between lateral lobes mostly divergent.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Fine pubescence; slightly            rough; veins prominent on lower surface.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to N137A.            Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 147B. Fully            expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to N137D; venation,            close to 145A. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close            to 147B; venation, close to 145A.        -   Petioles.—Length: About 8 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Texture,            upper and lower surfaces: Fine pubescence; slightly rough.            Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 145A.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Form and flowering habit.—Semi-decorative type inflorescence            form with ligulate-shaped ray florets; inflorescences borne            on terminals above and beyond the foliar plane; disc and ray            florets arranged acropetally on a capitulum; freely            flowering habit with about 24 inflorescences developing per            plant during the flowering season.        -   Fragrance.—Mildly fragrant; pungent, herbaceous.        -   Flowering response.—Early flowering habit, plants flower            uniformly about 37 days after starting short day/long night            photoperiodic treatments.        -   Inflorescence longevity.—Good postproduction longevity;            inflorescences maintain good color and substance for about            two to three weeks on the plant; inflorescences persistent.        -   Inflorescence buds.—Height: About 6 mm. Diameter: About            7 mm. Shape: Oblate. Color: Close to 137C.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 3.7 cm.        -   Inflorescence height.—About 1.2 cm.        -   Disc diameter.—About 9 mm.        -   Receptacles.—Height: About 2 mm. Diameter: About 3 mm.            Shape: Conical. Color: Close to 144C.        -   Ray florets.—Number of ray florets per inflorescence: About            33 arranged in about three whorls. Orientation: Initially            upright, then about 45° from vertical. Length: About 7 mm.            Width: About 6 mm. Shape: Ligulate. Apex: Mammillate. Base:            Fused into a short tube. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and            lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; double-keeled. Color: When            opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close to 59A; with            development, color becoming closer to 60A. When opening and            fully opened, lower surface: Close to 59B; with development,            color becoming closer to 185C.        -   Disc florets.—Number of disc florets per inflorescence:            About 194 massed at the center of the receptacle. Length:            About 5 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Shape: Tubular, elongated;            apices, acute. Texture, inner and outer surfaces: Smooth,            glabrous. Color, when opening: Apex: Close to 9B.            Mid-section: Close to 145C. Base: Close to 157C. Color,            fully opened: Apex: Close to 9A. Mid-section: Close to 145B.            Base: Close to 157C.        -   Phyllaries.—Number ofphyllaries per inflorescence: About 23            arranged in about three whorls. Length: About 5 mm. Width:            About 2 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Base: Obtuse.            Margin: Entire. Texture, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous;            waxy. Texture, lower surface: Fine pubescence; waxy. Color,            upper and lower surfaces: Close to 137C.        -   Peduncles.—Length, terminal peduncle: About 1.2 cm.            Diameter, terminal peduncle: About 2 mm. Angle: Erect to            about 10° from vertical. Strength: Moderately strong,            flexible. Texture: Densely pubescent. Color: Close to 138B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: None observed. Gynoecium:            Present only on ray florets. Pistil length: About 6 mm.            Stigma shape: Bi-parted. Stigma color: Close to 5C. Style            length: About 0.2 mm. Style color: Close to 1D. Ovary color:            Close to 1D.        -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit production has not been            observed on plants of the new Chrysanthemum to date.-   Disease & pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common    to Chrysanthemum plants has not been observed on plants of the new    Chrysanthemum to date.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have    demonstrated good garden performance and to tolerate temperatures    from about 0° C. to about 35° C.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Chrysanthemum plant named‘Fichryswiros’ as illustrated and described.